Multi-switch contact mechanism



P 1961 J. KRUITHOF ETAL 3,001,022

MULTI-SWITCH CONTACT MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. J. K/i'U/THOF L. J. 6. M3 .1. L. J. 00mm B W/MQM.

A ttorne y p 1961 J. KRUITHOF ETAL 3,

MULTI-SWITCH CONTACT MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

.1. KRU/THOF L. .1. a. IVYS J. 1.. .1 DOA/CEEL gan/ Attorney Sept. 19, 19 1 J. KRUITHOF ETAL MULTI-SWITCH CONTACT MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. J. KkU/fi/OF Lula. IVYS & .11. .z DOA/(55L Patented Sept. 19, 1961 3,001,022 MULTI-SWITCH CONTACT MECHANISM Jakob Kruithof, Louis Jacques Ghislain Nys, and Jules Louis Joseph Donceel, Antwerp, Belgium, assignors to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 18, 1952, Ser. No. 321,125 Claims priority, application Netherlands Nov. 23, 1951 3 Claims. (Cl. 17927.54)

The invention relates to contact making mechanisms which form parts of a multi-switch of the crossbar type such as used in telephone systems. In particular, the contact making mechanisms in accordance with the invention are related to those disclosed in Belgian Patent No. 477,334.

For multi-switches of the crossbar type which operate by the first displacement of a select bar corresponding to one or more outlets followed by the displacement of the hold bar corresponding to a particular inlet, thus op erating the contact making member which establishes the connection between the particular inlet and one or more of said outlets, it is desirable to be able to motivate the displacement of a movable select bar in an electrical manner. This may, of course, be obtained with the help of an-electrical contact pertaining to the electromagnet controlling the displacement of the corresponding select bar. In certain cases, however, the movement of this select bar may be controlled by several electromagnets operating in a code combination, and this would lead to the use of a rather large number of electrical contacts in order to ascertain the displacement of a select bar. Furthermore, it is also desirable that the contact should be operated, not as a result of the operation of the magnet or magnets controlling the select bar, but as a result of the elfective displacement of said select bar.

Belgian Patent No. 495,324 affords a mechanical solution to this problem. However, in some multi-switches of this type, the number of select bars can be substantially reduced by making each select bar corresponding to more than one outlet, eg to two outlets. In this case, the additional selection is obtained by permitting the hold bar to be displaced in one or the opposite direction, in one case establishing contact with one of the outlets corresponding to the operated select bar and in the other case, establishing the connection to the other outlet. Such arrangements are well known and, for example, our co-pending patent application Serial No. 280,252, filed April 3, 1952 discloses a multi-switch in which, due to a preselecting arrangement, each select bar corresponds to four outlets, the hold bars being displaceable in one or the opposite direction.

If it is desired, for control reasons, that the electric contact to be actuated upon the displacement of a select bar, should elfect a connection to the test conductor of one of the outlets corresponding to the operated select bar, and if the hold bar is displaceable in two opposite directions, whereas the select bar can only be actuatedin one direction, it is evident that, although a test contact finger can be directly operated by a select bar, it will only be able to effect contact to the test conductors of half the outlets corresponding to the select bar. This will occur, of course, if we assume that all the test conductors form a multiple of straight and parallel fixed Wires, which can be brought into contact with the test conductors of any inlet and which are prolonged so as to be able to be contacted by auxiliary test conductors upon the operation of the test contact finger, in response'to the displacement of the corresponding select bar.

The solution afiorded in the Belgian Patent No. 495,- 324, is to establish contacts between the auxiliary test conductors and test wires which are not the actual multiple test conductors. In this manner, if each select bar corresponds to two outlets, contacts can be made on both test conductors pertaining to these two outlets when the select bar is displaced, However, this has the disadvantage that an additional connection is needed to reach the actual test conductors in the multiple. Or else, the multiple instead of being straight has to be branched out of alignment at the level of the test contact fingers. Both these alternatives are not satisfactory and in particular, the second is to be rejected as it would no longer be pos sible to withdraw the multiple from the multi-switch assembly for inspection purposes.

The object of the invention is upon the displacement of a select bar, to effect a direct contact on the multiple test conductors of the outlets corresponding to the select bar.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, to each select bar correspond two special contact fingers, both directly and simultaneously displaced upon the movement of said select bar, one in one direction and the other in the opposite one, whereby contacts are established to the said test conductors of both outlets.

The above mentioned and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by referring to the following description of an embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which represent:

FIG. 1, a schematic illustration of the invention;

FIG. 2, a plan view of part of a test contact finger;

FIG. 3, a side view of the test contact finger shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a portion of the structure of FIGS. 2 and 3 shown in conjunction with the inlet conductors of FIG. 1 and of the driving mechanism thereof, together with the select bar which directly actuates the structure of FIGS. 2 and 3, and the clutch mechanism controlling the inlet connections.

Referring to FIG. 1, the latter schematically illustrates the operation of a multi-switch of the crossbar type comprising a set of select bars V V V located in one plane, and a set of hold bars H H are also located in a plane parallel to the first and the bars are perpendicular to those of the first set. The select bars can be displaced longitudinally when the corresponding bar magnet such as VM is energized. On the other hand, a hold bar such as H can be displaced upon the energization of the corresponding hold bar magnet HM but the actual displacement is carried out by means of servo bars VL and VR which are controlled by the horizontal servo magnets HSL and HSR. If HSL is energized, after the operation of HM the hold bar H will be displaced in the direction of the arrow f whereas if the energization of HM is followed by the operation of HSR, the hold bar will be displaced in the opposite direction indicated by the arrow f If the select bar V had previously been displaced, e.g. lowered, this will'result in the displacement of contact finger F in the direction of the arrow f if HSL has beenenergized.

Whereas on FIG. 1, double lines indicate mechanical parts, i.e. the various bars and fingers, the single lines refer to the inlet or outlet conductors. The small circles at the crossing points of the bars, indicate mechanical co-operation between those, while the small circles interlinking the fingers and the corresponding conductors, indicate that the displacement of the finger will cause a corresponding displacement of the conductor into contact with coordinate conductor, at the crossing point. Only one set of inlet conductors, i.e. a b and c pertaining to inlet No. 1 controlled by the hold magnet HM have been shown in order not to complicate the diagram. Similarly, only two sets of outlet conductors in the form of a multiple have been shown, i.e. conductors a b' and a b and 0' access to which is.controlled by finger F The test conductors of outlets No. l and No. 2, i.e. c and c have been shown to extend farther down than the speaking conductors so that they can be contacted by means of the special test fingers, two of which F and F have been shown, both being directly controlled by the select bar V Therefore, if we assume that the select bar V is displaced, for example in order to obtain a connection from inlet No. 1 (a b 0 to outlet No. 1 (a',, b' c' the displacement of the select bar will invariably simultaneously produce movements of both the fingers F and F but whereas the first will be displaced in the direction of the arrow f'g, thus in opposition to the displacement of finger F the second will move in the direction of the arrow f i.e. in the same sense as finger F In this way, contact will be effected to the test conductor, i.e. c' of the outlet, i.e. No. 1, selected, and any electrical condition can be impressed or derived from said test conductor via conductor t If outlet No. 2 had been selected, the hold bar H would have been displaced in the direction of the arrow f resulting in the displacement of finger F along arrow f whereas the select bar V would have been displaced in the same manner as for selecting outlet No. 1. Obviously, any electrical condition can still be derived from, or impressed on the test conductor of No. 2 outlet, i.e. c via conductor t A mechanical embodiment is shown on FIGS. 2 and 3 which represent the apparatus utilized to contact the test contact fingers F and F These are similar in design to the normal contact fingers such as F which have already been described in our U.S. Patent No. 2,740,844. The finger F comprises a horizontal flat metal part 1 which is provided with a series of slots such as 2 by means of which a vertical part 3 of insulating material can be made integral with the metal part 1, so that the end cross section of the finger is substantially T-shaped. The front part of the finger is recessed at 4 so that it normally abuts against the front rim 5 of the mounting bracket 6 which also serves to support an insulated plate 7 on which the conductor t, is mounted. This conductor consists of a punched strip of conducting metal provided with upturned contact extensions such as 8, which can be driven into contact with the test conductor 0' which can be inserted in the bevelled hole. 9 drilled in the insulated plate 7.

Thecontacting operation is as follows: A

Whenthe select bar V (not shown on FIGS. 2 and.3) is displaced, the end 10 of the lever 11which is gripped by said select bar, will be displaced in the direction. of the arrow f whereby. this lever will pivot around an axle 12, which is rigidly secured to the bracket 6 by meansof the extension 13 and the screw 14, with H the help of the bushing 15, whereby the end 16 of said lever which is engaged in a corresponding rectangular opening in the finger F will drive said finger in the direction of the arrow 3%. In its displacement, the finger will be vertically guided by means of the clip 17 fixed tofthe bracket .6 by screw 18, .and horizontally in the slot 19 cut in the upturned .rim 5 of the bracket'6. As shown (in FIG. 3, the vertical insulated part 3 of the finger is cut in such a manner, that the contact extension 8 can be driven by it into contact with the test conductor c' inserted in the hole.,9. A. centering arrangementis provided by the two small levers-20 and 21 joined by the'spring 22 and hinged in the upturned parts 23 and 24 of a U-shaped member 25 fixed on the insulated plate 7. It will be evident by --considering FIG. 3' that, as the levee-11 is rotated in the direction of the arrow f the contactfinger 1 '(Fy1- 2) will be pulled in the "direction of the arrowuf wvhereby the qontactexterision-fi' will 4 be driven into contact with the test conductor 0'; inserted in the hole 9'.

The return to the original position will be efiected due to the energy stored in the centering spring 22 causing the lever 20 to drive the part26, and hence the contact finger F to its. normal position. The small lever 21' will effect a similar operation for the finger F under the action of the centering spring (not shown) for the test contact finger F For both fingers, the release will be helped by the energy stored in the deflected contact extensions.

It is evident that the test contact fingers such as F might contact more than one test conductor. This will be the case in our said U.S. patent, in which each select bar controls access to four outlets.

FIG. 4 is an isometric showing of a portion of the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, shown in proper rela: tion with vertical conductors 0' 0' and with a portion of the switch apparatus disclosed in our said copending application Serial No. 280,252. The apparatus at upper part of FIG. 4 controls the switching of an inlet to an outlet, and also shows how the select bar V extends transversely across the switch. It will be seen from FIG. 4 how the select bar directly operates the end 10 of the lever 11 causing it to pivot around axle 12 and simultaneously operates the clutch mechanism of the upper part of the switch structure in FIG. 4 and more particularly described in said co-pending application.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A three-dimensional multi-switch for telecommunitions systems comprising a first set of fixed, spaced parallel conductors extending in a first plane and representing an outlet, a second set of fixed, spaced parallel conductors extending in a second plane substantially perpendicular to said first plane, said second set of conductors representing an inlet, a pair of fixed, spaced parallel conductors extending in planes parallel to said second plane, each of the conductors of said pair representing a test lead, said second conductor set and said conductor pair comprising movable contacts adjacent coordinate points defined with respect'to said first conductor set,first means for selectively actuating themovable contacts ofsaid second conductor set into contact with conductors of said first set, means for moving said first actuating means in opposite directions, select means for selecting the coordinate switch point among said first conductor set and the contacts associated with said second conductor set and said pair of conductors, clutch means intermediate said first actuating means and said moving means for clutching said first actuating means with said moving means, said clutch meansflunder control of said select means, separate means for actuating the movable contacts associated with said conductor pair into contact respectively with difierent conductors'of said first set, common coupling means among said last named actuating means and said select means, whereby movement of said select means causes closure of said last named movable contacts and operation of said clutch means and independent of the direction of operation of said moving means. g Y

2 A three dimensional multi switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said common coupling means includes reciprocating means for reciprocally moving said separate actuating. means, respectively. 7 d a 3. A three-dimensional multi-switch as claimed in 'claim 2, wherein said reciprocating means comprises a double crank lever, opposite arms of said lever coupled.v

, v 5 V the odd arm thereof is adapted to be actuated by said select means.

7 References Cited in the file of this patent 6 Hartley Aug. 29, 1944 Parker Sept. 12, 1944 Graybill et al. Aug. 23, 1949 Knos Oct. 30, 1951 Bracke et a1. Sept. 29, 1953 Barrett Apr. 10, 1956 

